


The Show Must Go On

by Joley123



Category: Glee
Genre: Eventual Smut, Fluff, M/M, Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2018-06-02 23:15:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6586795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joley123/pseuds/Joley123
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt Hummel lands the leading role in NYADA’s spring production of Bare: A Pop Opera, but his excitement starts to diminish when he finds out he will be playing a love interest to former romantic rival, Sebastian Smythe. Even though the casting threw him through a loop, he isn’t going to let that deter him from the chance of a lifetime. (canon through season 4)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Casting

**Author's Note:**

> Not a Rachel friendly chapter

“The spring musical is the biggest annual event at NYADA, it’s not like auditioning for West Side Story,” Kurt was saying, sitting at his desk with his laptop in front of him, Skype open.

“It’s just hard to tell, is all. Rachel always treated everything like the biggest deal ever…don’t tell her I said that.”

“I’d never!” he assured with a light laugh. “I’m gonna go throw dinner together, Finny. Talk to you later, love you,” he ended the call after they said their goodbyes.

Kurt closed his laptop and headed into the lounge. He didn’t even make it into the kitchen before Santana came in carrying a pizza box, the noise bringing Rachel out from her room as well.

“Here,” she set the meal down on the table, “Celebratory meal if you guys get the parts, consolation meal if you blew it,” she said with a slight shrug as she opened the box and helped herself to the first slice.

Rachel let out a small huff, as if she were offended that Santana would even dare to suggest that she wouldn’t land the role. “I have this on lockdown, this isn’t a question,” she caught Kurt’s gaze bearing into her. “Oh, and Kurt too.”

That was probably the best he was going to get from her, he decided, so he said nothing else and helped himself to a slice.

Santana sat herself down, sprawled out despite the otherwise confining dress she was in. She was far beyond the need for modesty around the other two. “What’s this show about anyway? Other than a bunch of Catholic school kids performing Romeo and Juliet.”

“The two main characters are in love and struggling with their sexuality in a world that doesn’t accept them, where they’re risking losing everything by being true to themselves,” the plot of Bare struck a deep, personal place for Kurt. Through the process of auditioning for Peter, he was able to put himself in the character’s shoes with ease, which let him pour out emotion into his audition – and it paid off, he was offered a callback on the spot, although he neglected to tell Rachel, acting surprised when the full callback list was posted.

“Damn Berry, how does it feel to not be able to play the lead?” Santana chuckled, causing the other girl to roll her eyes.

“Ivy is a pivotal female lead, thank you very much.”

“Yeah, but no one cares about the chick in a tale of two gays.”

As per usual, Kurt chimed in to intervene. “Regardless, it’s a fantastic show and I’m very excited about it,” he said calmly.

“Spoken like a true understudy,” Santana teased, then failed to duck the pillow he tossed at her.

————————————————————————————————

“Congrats, Kurt!” one guy came up to him with a bright grin.

“I’m sure you’ll do the role justice,” a girl chimed in sweetly.

Kurt chuckled softly, doing his absolute best to fight the urge to double over with excitement. “Spoiler alert, guys! I haven’t seen the list yet,” the two laughed lightly in response, patting him on the back as he made his way to the cast list to confirm what he had already put together.

And there it was. His name on display for all the school to see, across from one of the heavily coveted leads. Kurt stared at it with a starry-eyed gaze, as if that one line of text encapsulated the hard work and emotion he had poured into everything for so long. Finally, he was going to be the star, not playing second fiddle to Rachel or Blaine or anyone else.

“This is an outrage!” a shrill screech pulled him from his thoughts. Kurt whirred around and saw Rachel standing to his side, all but burning a hole through the page with her glare. “How did I not get the role? I did Barbra, Kurt! I never lose with Barbra!”

“Honey, you’ll get it next time, just—“

Rachel was not hearing any of it. She caught sight of the professor in charge of casting and started chasing him down. “Professor Kelly! Professor Kelly!” and both were out of sight in a matter of seconds.

Kurt sighed and shook his head. One day he’d have to help Rachel realize that they weren’t in Lima anymore. He decided to put that thought aside and looked to see who would be playing his Jason, his love interest.

“You’re fucking kidding me.”

They weren’t in Lima anymore, he knew that, but now it was really starting to feel like they were.

————————————————————————————————

“So, let me get this straight. Rachel wasn’t cast, you got the lead, and you’re playing opposite Sebastian fucking Smythe?” Santana cackled. “This is the best goddamn day of my life!”

“Shut up!” Rachel shouted from her room, then pointedly slammed the door shut.

“Give it time,” Kurt murmured. This was about the reaction he expected, he just hoped it would pass enough for Rachel to at least pretend to support him by opening night. 

Santana was still laughing softly, bemused by everything that had unfolded. “You tell your family yet?”

He shook his head. “Not yet, I’m skyping them all in a few minutes, then I’ll properly announce it on Facebook.”

“Well, you’re not going to hear this from Rachel, so, congratulations,” she smiled, pulling him into a hug and patting his back.

Kurt held the hug for a few moments. “Thanks, San,” he murmured before letting go. “I’ll go get on Skype,” he left to his room and lay on his bed, opening up his laptop and putting the call through to Finn.

“Hey dude!” his step-brother greeted brightly. “What happened with the play?”

Grinning from ear to ear, he simply said “You’re going to want to get Dad and Carole in here,” even though that gave the answer away. But Finn held off on his reaction and nodded, calling their parents into the room. “I got the part!” he announced when the three of them were all present.

“Yeah that’s my boy!” Burt cheered, beaming with pride as Finn and Carole congratulated him simultaneously. “Didn’t Rachel audition for that too? She in it with you?”

Kurt shook his head. “No, she’s taking it pretty hard, I’m just giving her space for now,” he replied.

“You guys catch me up on everything later, I’ve got to get dinner out of the oven,” Carole said before leaving the room, Burt following soon after.

Finn glanced over his shoulder to make sure they’d both left before looking at Kurt again. “So what about your co-star? Have you met him? Is he someone you uh…will enjoy having to kiss over and over?”

Kurt exhaled deeply, shaking his head a bit. “You’re not going to believe this, Finn. Sebastian Smythe is playing Jason,” his eyes focused on him, watching his reaction, and giggling when it ended up being the taller male nearly falling off of his chair, his eyes wide with shock.

“Seriously? Isn’t he a freshman?” Finn asked. They had both been in the room when Blaine had gone on a rant upon finding out that Sebastian had gotten accepted to NYADA while his own application was rejected. Finding out that Kurt and Sebastian would be peers didn’t sit too well with either of them, but they had agreed that it would be easy for them to simply avoid each other.

“I guess they saw something in him,” Kurt muttered. “I just hope he has the capacity to be professional about this.”

“Have you spoken to him yet?”

“No…I probably should, huh? I’ll hunt him down on Facebook or something, I was going to log on and post about the role anyway,” he sighed. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, love you,” and they hung up as per usual. But before he could even log onto social media, he got a text. The number wasn’t saved in his phone, but he recognized the area code, and the message itself filled in the rest of the blanks.

‘See you at rehearsals, sweetheart – xo, Jason’


	2. Natural Chemistry

Santana reread the message, starting to scroll back further until Kurt snatched his phone out of her hands. “So how did he get your number?” she asked, feigning just enough interest in her friend’s explanation.  
“He asked Professor Kelly, apparently it seemed like a reasonable enough request for him,” Kurt shrugged, and he supposed there was some validity in that. If his costar had been anyone else, he may have even taken the initiative to do the same thing. There was just something about Sebastian doing it that just grated on his nerves.  
“You’re gonna see him tomorrow anyway, it’s not like he was stalking you or some shit,” she chuckled as Kurt shuddered at the mere suggestion. “He tried to fuck your ex-boyfriend, Hummel. Having bad taste doesn’t make him the devil incarnate.”  
Kurt rolled his eyes. “As if you’d let anyone gun for your job,” he retorted with a dry laugh.  
“At least my job isn’t mackin’ on pretty boy,” she smirked.  
Kurt slumped in his seat. Part of his brain knew he was making far too big a deal out of this, and maybe he was being a tad overdramatic. He almost had to wonder why he was getting so angry over the premise of having to act alongside Sebastian anyway, aside from their mutually established disdain. Did his costar even remember everything that happened? It wasn’t terribly long ago, but enough time had passed. “Am I being ridiculous?” he finally asked.  
“No more than usual.”  
He sat up a bit. “I mean it, San. Am I blowing this out of proportion? I mean, he’s an asshole, undeniably, but what’s the statute of limitations on bitterness?”  
Santana shrugged, completely nonplussed by his dilemma. “Only one way to find out.”  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Scripts and sheet music are currently being passed out, I expect you all to have your lines and songs memorized in a prompt manner, if not, your understudies will,” Professor Kelly was not known for being especially strict or harsh, but he did take the spring musical especially seriously. A rumor had even started that when they had done Rent, he cut and replaced the girl who played Mimi the day before opening night, and that she had been hospitalized after a nervous breakdown. Most of them were certain the story was exaggerated, but the cast still took it as a warning to heed.  
Sebastian was sat next to Kurt, who could tell he was just waiting for him to look over and make eye contact, and to make some sort of snarky remark, no doubt. But Kurt insisted on looking straight ahead, as if he were hanging on to every single one of the professor’s words with unfaltering interest. But he was dead behind the eyes, which was made a bit more apparent when both he and Sebastian were snapped into focus when Kelly turned his attention to them with “Smythe, Hummel, to the stage!”  
The two boys went up without hesitation, and finally they met each other’s gaze. “Look at you, you could almost pass as an adult,” Sebastian murmured to him.  
“Wish I could say the same to you,” Kurt replied dryly.  
“I see you two are already familiar,” Professor Kelly remarked offhandedly.  
“Something like that,” Kurt answered.  
The comment didn’t seem to faze him, but it did cause Sebastian to roll his eyes. “Right, anyway, I want to start the rehearsal off with a dry run of You & I,” he directed.  
Prerecorded music began to play and they fell into the swing of things, until they were cut off partway through by the director. “You two are holding back. Remember, you’re lovers – passionate, romantic lovers. I want lust and emotion! From the top!”  
Kurt looked at Sebastian, who just seemed annoyed at being critiqued. “Never thought your showboating ass would be one to hold back,” he remarked.  
“It takes a lot of skill to pretend I could get it up for you on the regular,” Sebastian answered. “I know sex appeal is out of your wheelhouse, so step your game up.”  
When the music started again, Sebastian wondered if he had struck a nerve with Kurt, because his entire demeanor shifted this time. He was flirty, coy, and it even caught him off guard. But he wasn’t going to be outdone by him, this was his area of expertise, after all. And when it was time for Sebastian to kiss him, he made a point of planting a firm, deep one on his lips, cupping the back of his head.  
Kurt blinked, silent for half a beat before his next line. “Was that supposed to shut me up?” Luckily his split second of silence played into that, and they finished the song strongly.  
The cast applauded, but none louder and more enthusiastically than Professor Kelly. “Night and day difference, you two. That was fantastic, rarely in my profession do I see such strong chemistry in my performers!”  
While Sebastian couldn’t help but scoff at the suggestion that he had chemistry with Kurt, Kurt tried to take it in stride. “One of the many skills an actor needs is the ability to forge chemistry and make it seem real,” he beamed in a tone that was only blatantly fake to the male standing beside him.  
“Oh you can’t fake that sort of chemistry. You two continue rehearsing, let that passion flourish. Martinez, Dawson, this way,” he said, motioning for two of the female actresses to follow him as Kurt and Sebastian got offstage, both rattled by his comments.  
“He’s senile,” Sebastian muttered.  
“Oh, definitely,” Kurt agreed quickly.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Hey little brother! How was your first rehearsal?” Finn’s cheery, good-guy demeanor was enough to put a smile on Kurt’s face and put him at ease.  
He glanced down and shook his head. “It was something else, I’ll tell you that much,” he let out a tired breath. “The director went on about how we had strong chemistry, can you believe that?”  
“Well, actually…”  
“Finn!”  
“No, no, hear me out. You can have chemistry with someone you totally hate, because it’s still like, a strong emotion. Like an angry, sexy spark,” Finn explained.  
Kurt buried his face in his hands. “Shut up,” he murmured with a soft laugh. “We had to practice a song today, one that he had to kiss me in,” he went on to say.  
“Cool, send me a youtube link,” and Kurt did, appreciating Finn’s enthusiasm and interest in his show. He watched his reaction and arched his brow when the taller male chuckled at one point. “Are you laughing because he said ‘hard-on’?” he asked.  
Finn cleared his throat and ran his hand through his hair. “Of course not!” he insisted. “You have to act like Sebastian gave you a hard-on, though.”  
“Please don’t remind me,” Kurt groaned with an exaggerated sigh, looking up with a furrowed brow. “I think someone’s at the door,” he told Finn. “I’ll call you back,” he said, exchanging a quick goodbye before shouting “Coming!” as he went to get the door.  
He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the door. “What are you doing here, Sebastian?”


	3. Come in Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay etc etc

Kurt stood with crossed arms and an arched brow, looking Sebastian over as he waited for an explanation.  
“Relax,” Sebastian rolled his eyes. “I come bearing a peace offering,” he held up a clear container from a bakery Kurt was fond of, a couple of cheesecake slices inside.  
Giving a slight nod, Kurt stepped aside. “Come in,” he said and closed the door behind him. The two went inside and sat on the couch, Sebastian setting the container on the coffee table. A second later, the other door opened and Rachel came in, starting to talk without looking in their direction.  
“Kurt, who was at the-“ she noticed the container before the other male. “Ooh! You went to Junior’s!” she made a reach for the box before Sebastian hit her hand away.  
“Claws off, dollar store Barbra. I’m not interested in getting on your good side,” he shooed her away.  
Rachel rolled her eyes and huffed. “Call me if you need me,” she said to Kurt before exiting.  
Once Rachel was out of earshot, Sebastian turned to Kurt. “You know, there’s a rumor going around that she held Professor Kelly at knifepoint trying to get a role,” he told him.  
Kurt shook his head. “She’s had a hard time adjusting from being the big fish in a small pond to a fish in one of the biggest and most selective ponds around.”  
“You seem to be doing fine,” Sebastian pointed out.  
“I was never the big fish.”  
The other male shook his head. “I’m going to have to argue with you there, sweetheart. In Lima, despite all it’s lacking in basic human culture and general smell of manure, everyone knew who you were. By the time you left it was mostly for good reasons; like that you’re inspirational or some shit, and not – shockingly – the fact that you look like you were gangbanged by the Queer Eye guys.”  
Kurt smiled warmly. He was pretty sure that was as close to a compliment Sebastian had ever given in his life, and it brought a sort of fondness out of him that he was far from expecting. “How do you know all this?”  
“Being one of the only openly gay guys in the area, especially being in another show choir, people brought you up plenty, as if you were the gold standard of gay glee club members. It was all kinds of disgusting,” Sebastian laughed.  
He chuckled as well, “So I’m sure you talked trash about me as often as you could.”  
“Without you there to dish it back? Where’s the fun in that?”  
“Someone has to keep you in line, huh?” Kurt smirked, only for Sebastian to nudge him in a playful manner. “I’m glad you came over, though. With all the time we’re going to have to spend together, it should at least be on good terms.”  
“Smartest thing I’ve heard you say,” Sebastian retorted. “Don’t let people get to thinking I’ve gone soft or anything, or I’ll sneak into your closet at night and cut your McQueens up.”  
Kurt laughed and shook his head. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he assured, only to be interrupted from his train of thought a moment later when an alert on his phone went off. “I have to get ready for work but, hey, since we’re adjusting to each other’s presence and all, we should work out a rehearsal schedule, alternate between your place and mine?”  
Sebastian arched his brow and grinned. “Normally I don’t bring someone back to my place unless I know we’re at least rounding third base, but I can make one exception,” he looked Kurt over. “And I haven’t eliminated the possibility.”  
He rolled his eyes in response, lightly thumping him on the side of his head as he walked past. Less obviously, though, Kurt had to fight off a smirk when he felt Sebastian’s eyes follow his backside as he walked past.  
It was still strange, being in Sebastian’s presence without seeing red, and he doubted it would change instantly overnight. But he could get used to this.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Hey!” Finn chirped brightly. “I haven’t heard from you in a couple days, everything good?”  
Kurt adjusted his position, sitting cross legged on his bed with his laptop placed on a tray that would otherwise be used to neatly eat in bed. “All good,” he nodded. “I actually met with Sebastian yesterday,” he told him.  
His brother’s brow arched curiously. “You did? How? Why? What happened?” he questioned, his instinct to be to react with concern.  
“He came over yesterday, with cheesecake as a peace offering. We talked for a little and…” he paused, trying to figure out how to word exactly how he felt about the brief visit. “I don’t know, it was kind of refreshing. I saw a more human side of him.”  
“Huh,” Finn nodded as he let that sink in, his lips pursed together. “So what, you guys are friends now?” he asked.  
Kurt bit his lip and furrowed his brows. “Friends is a strong label when it comes to Sebastian. We’re on good terms. We’re cast mates. We have the potential to get along. The thought of having to make out with him doesn’t make me want to throw up as much.”  
Finn chuckled softly. “Now it sounds like you’re attracted to him.”  
“Finn, don’t be gross,” Kurt replied in a playfully stern manner. “I’m just saying it’s become more bearable than, say, gargling with bleach.”  
“That’s how it starts, baby brother.”  
The smaller male laughed and shook his head. “It’s time for you to shut up now,” and after their goodbyes, the conversation did end.  
Kurt had just closed his laptop when Santana poked her head in. “Did I just eavesdrop correctly?” she leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed and brow cocked. “Are you getting chummy with the same guy you had a bitchfit over last week?”  
He rolled his eyes at that. “That was because the last memory I had of him was a negative one. People can change, Santana. You of all people should know that.”  
“You got me there,” she acknowledged. “So you think he’s on the straight and narrow?”  
Kurt shrugged. “I think he knows we’re uniquely situated right now, and that we have to let the past go for the sake of having a good performance. I don’t think he thinks any better of me after this, or that we’ll suddenly go from banter to baby talk, but I think things will be okay, at least temporarily.”  
“But do you think he’s hot? That’s the real question.”  
“What is with you guys? We’re playing love interests. I don’t want to bang him,” Kurt huffed.  
Santana smirked. “Yet.”


	4. Just A Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings for some smut, mentions of TFT (so not particularly klaine/blaine friendly)

“Mm, Sebastian…keep going…” Kurt moaned out as the other male’s mouth nipped and sucked at his neck, one hand roaming the expanse of his naked body and the other one pinning his wrists above his head. The room was dark, and he couldn’t fully see around him, but god, he didn’t need to. Sebastian was all over him and it drove him wild. 

“Fuck, you want this so bad, don’t you? So fucking hot,” Sebastian grunted, kissing him heatedly before breaking the kiss just as quickly. Kurt watched as he moved lower, his body trembling in anticipation. His mouth was hovering right over his cock and then—

Kurt woke up. 

Or, more specifically, his eyes shot open with the realization of what just went on in his mind. His face and body were red, there was a thin layer of sweat on top of his skin and – _fuck_ – he was hard. Kurt groaned, he didn’t want to masturbate because he was afraid his dream would replay itself in his mind, and the last thing he wanted were for those images to be burned into his brain for a second longer than they were already destined to be. 

He lay awake, staring at the ceiling and desperately trying to will away his erection for what felt like hours. Once he’d returned to a normal state, Kurt checked his phone and sighed. It was nearly four in the morning and he had to be up at seven, but he had a feeling he would have trouble falling back asleep tonight. 

—————————————————————————————————

“Have I done something to offend you?” Sebastian asked as he came up behind Kurt, causing him to jump slightly.

“What? No, no of course not. These past couple weeks have been going really well,” Kurt spoke quickly, stammering over his words.

He cocked his brow. “Then why have you been acting like I’m going to give you a disease?” he paused then added “I’m not, you know. I’m a safe slut.”

Kurt shook his head. “No, it’s not you…I-I’ve just been having an off day,” he explained sheepishly. Color rushed to his face and he instinctively averted his gaze.

“Are you _blushing_?” Sebastian couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

He scoffed, exaggeratedly so, at the accusation. “It’s just very hot in here.”

“It’s like sixty eight degrees.”

“And I dress in layers!” Kurt snapped, then cleared his throat. “I’m just under a lot of stress right now, with this and classes and work…”

Kurt was caught off guard again when he felt Sebastian’s hands on his shoulders. 

“You need to relax,” he remarked as he gently rubbed his hands into the tense male. “You’re gonna get wrinkles that way.” 

In spite of himself, Kurt relaxed under his touch, letting out a soft exhale of breath. Sebastian wasn’t wrong – even without his conflicting feelings towards him, he did have the tendency to work himself to the bone, but no one ever seemed to notice unless it got really bad. Rachel and Blaine would always be caught up in their own lives, and Santana would always be quick to say he was being dramatic. Kurt wasn’t actually sure if Sebastian actually cared, or if he was just being his deceptively charming self, but it put him at ease in a way that he could rarely get to on his own. 

“My uncle is a chiropractor in France, you know,” Sebastian hummed. 

“Is that a line you usually use to feel guys up?” Kurt chuckled.

He smirked, his hands carefully pressing down the smaller male’s back. “You haven’t stopped me.”

“To be fair, I actually am very tense,” and for only a moment, he forgot it was because he subconsciously got off to the thought of being with Sebastian. But the memory hit him again and jerked him into focus. “I do need to get going though. Text me later,” he said as he headed off and rounded the corridor. 

—————————————————————————————————

Kurt lay on his bed and let out a deep sigh. “You’re the only one I can talk to about this, so please don’t be too rough with me.”

“I got you, just be real with me,” Mercedes replied, sitting cross-legged beside him. 

He propped his elbow up on the pillow and rest his head on his hand. “I had a sex dream about Sebastian the other night,” he admitted. Much to his surprise, however, Mercedes seemed to be rather nonplussed in response to his confession. “Contain yourself, here,” he said dryly.

“It’s not that shocking when you think about it,” she shrugged. “You guys have been spending a lot of time together, you’re playing characters with a very intimate relationship. You haven’t had to do something like this before, it’s normal to have these weird feelings about it, about him.”

Kurt furrowed his brows. “Do you think it’ll pass when the show’s over?”

“I didn’t say that, boo. No way to know for sure.” 

“I still feel so dirty,” he mumbled.

Mercedes put a comforting arm around him. “Hey, hey. You don’t need to. You’re human, like I said, totally normal.”

Kurt smiled softly, letting out a deep breath. “You’re right. Thanks,” he replied.

She kissed his temple and nodded. “That’s what I’m here for.”

Once they said their goodbyes and Mercedes left the apartment, Kurt got his phone out and called Sebastian. “Before you say anything, I just want to apologize for how weird I was being yesterday. I just…I wasn’t in a good headspace. If you’re not busy, maybe you can come over and we can rehearse. I’ll order Chinese and everything.” 

He was holding his breath until he heard a light, familiar chuckle on the other end of the line. “You’re always fucking weird, Kurt, so don’t worry about it. I can be there within the hour.”

After they hung up, Kurt cleaned himself up a bit – changing his clothes and dabbing on a bit of cologne – making sure he seemed put together and presentable. He ordered food for them both as well, the delivery arriving only moments before Sebastian did. 

“Perfect timing,” Sebastian remarked, seeing the bag of food still in Kurt’s hand. “I didn’t know what wine paired well with lo mein, so I just grabbed one of the ones I had in the pantry,” he told him, holding up a bottle.

“You would be someone to have multiple bottles of wine in your pantry,” Kurt remarked with a light laugh, setting the bag down on the counter and unpacking the food. 

“So,” Sebastian started as they began eating, “Are you gonna tell me the actual story behind your borderline breakdown?” 

“Nope,” he replied flippantly, suddenly becoming more invested in his dinner.

Sebastian smirked and shook his head. “Is it because you’re low key hot for me?”

Kurt nearly choked on the piece of chicken in his mouth, sputtering as it came back out and on to his plate. “What? I don’t…I didn’t…who told you?”

“No one,” he shrugged. “It was inevitable. I mean, hello, look at me,” he spun him around on his stool so they were facing each other. “It’s not a bad idea, you know. We’d be better fake lovers if we had a roll in the sack.”

He got up and crossed his arms, looking away from the other male. “God, don’t put it like that,” he became a bit unsteady – pacing a little and refusing to make eye contact. 

“Okay, normally I know when I’m being an asshole, but you’re going to have to clue me in here,” he got up and started to follow Kurt, who consistently kept himself just out of his reach. 

“I don’t want to be used to improve your acting prowess!” Kurt suddenly snapped at him. “I’m not going to go out of my way to try and please you just so you can throw yourself on me in the back of my car!” his face was red and his voice was strained, almost as if something that was brewing inside of him was bubbling over.

“Your car? Are you sure this is about me?” 

Kurt had moved to the couch at this point, curling into himself. “Yes…no…just forget it,” he mumbled, tucking a pillow under his chin, pulling his knees up to the underside of it. 

“Kurt…” Sebastian took a few tentative steps towards him. “I-I’m sorry, I just—“

“Can we do this another time? I need to be alone with my thoughts right now,” his face was tilted away from Sebastian, humiliated that he was being seen in such a vulnerable state. “Please, I’m sorry, just…please,” he mumbled. 

Sebastian was conflicted, it was normally much easier for him to bolt the second someone showed any sign of emotion, but he couldn’t get himself to want to leave Kurt’s side. The poor thing needed to be held and comforted, granted that was not Sebastian’s strong point by any stretch of the imagination. “Call me if you need me, or anything. Just…let me know you’re okay,” he said softly, not taking his eyes off of Kurt until he was outside of the apartment. 

Kurt felt sick to his stomach, a cocktail of frustration and embarrassment stewing inside of him. He was sure that he would have to have an awkward conversation with Sebastian eventually, but for now he just wanted this awful sinking feeling to pass.


	5. No More Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning for this chapter (also not Rachel or Blaine friendly)

It was five o’clock on the dot when Kurt heard the familiar Skype ring. “Look at you, so punctual,” he praised lightly, resting his chin on his propped up hand. 

“A promise is a promise, little brother,” Finn hummed, running his hand through his hair. “How the hell have you been, dude?” 

There were few things in life that Kurt appreciated more than Finn’s genuine interest in his life. Although he’d gotten used to it, Rachel and Santana were prone to self-absorbed tendencies, and with Blaine it was even worse. “God, where to begin?” he chuckled dryly, shaking his head. “I may as well drop the biggest bomb,” he started.

“You’re pregnant?”

“Why is that always the first thing you go to?” he chuckled and shook his head. “Finn, I promise if I do get pregnant, you will be the first to know. Except for maybe a few news outlets, you know I’m gonna try to get on Ellen.”

Finn laughed, then nodded. “Okay, okay, what’s the bomb?” 

Kurt cleared his throat as he switched gears. “I might have feelings for Sebastian…and I may have inadvertently told him that.”

The taller male sat in stunned silence for a moment. “I think you telling me you’re pregnant would have been less surprising,” he finally said.

“I know, I know,” he was blushing just from the confession. “But we’ve been spending all this time together, and we’re playing boyfriends so we’re in these intimate, emotional settings, and when you get to know him, he’s kind of fun to be around,” he exhaled. “The worst part is knowing it’s totally one-sided.”

Finn tilted his head and furrowed his brows. “How do you know?”

“Sebastian’s not that type of guy. He doesn’t do crushes, he does quickies between classes. And I mean, I can’t judge him for that, but he wouldn’t go for me. Even when he flirts with me, I’m sure he’s joking.”

“He flirts with you but there’s no way he’s into you? I feel like that’s…not right,” he scratched his head. 

Kurt smiled softly. “You make everything sound so easy,” he sighed. “I just don’t want to get my hopes up,” and he wouldn’t, his pride would not allow it.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Lately, for Kurt, sitting on Sebastian’s couch while he was out having a cigarette on the balcony had become a normal, even common occurrence. Sebastian liked to take the edge off after school days, and the smell never seemed to bother Kurt – especially since he started to associate the scent with him. But this time there was tension, and it was thicker than the smoke that Sebastian was exhaling. 

“Something tells me this is going to be another rehearsal-free rehearsal. I might eventually admit that I actually can tolerate hanging out with you,” Sebastian remarked, putting the cigarette out in his ashtray as he walked back inside. “And I know you’re the type that has to talk about his feelings and shit, so come on, out with it.” 

Kurt couldn’t quite explain why, but Sebastian’s unabashed bluntness put him at ease. There was no dancing around the subject, and it was for the best. He took a deep breath, the menthol aroma hitting him before he exhaled. “Do you remember the night you, Blaine, and I went to Scandals?” 

Sebastian shifted uncomfortably. Of course he remembered, but he had no idea what direction this was going, or if Kurt had gotten so upset by something he had done back in Ohio. But without breaking his poker face, he nodded. “Yeah, what about it?”

“After we left…Blaine and I had a bit of an…altercation in the car…”

“He hit you?”

“No, no, not like that. He wanted to…be intimate, and I didn’t. And he wasn’t listening to me telling him no. Luckily I overpowered him and got out. But somehow I was the one feeling guilty afterwards, or maybe I was afraid that he’d go to you to give him what I wouldn’t, that I went and did it like, the next day. Found out he was only pushing for it because it would help him ‘get into character’ for his role in the school play,” Kurt exhaled, feeling as though he had confessed that all in one big breath. 

It wasn’t the first time he had told this story, but Rachel – having acted on the same advice – immediately took Blaine’s side. He had wanted to tell someone else, but despite knowing deep down that Mercedes, Finn, even Santana would have heard him out, he could never get himself to retell the tale. Thinking about it made his stomach ache, his throat tighten, his heart start to pound, sometimes if he dwelled on it too long he would break down in a panic or tears. Even as he spoke he could feel the color drain from his face and that he couldn’t keep his hands from fidgeting. He wasn’t even thinking about Sebastian’s reaction at that point, the words just shot out like a cannon.

“That’s really fucked up, Kurt. I’m so sorry,” Sebastian murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. “How long were you guys broken up before he apologized?”

Kurt let out a dark, bitter laugh that honestly scared Sebastian a bit. “We didn’t break up, he never apologized. He made me feel like it was my fault for not being free and spontaneous,” he shook his head. “A lot of our relationship involved me apologizing for problems I didn’t start. It took him trying to blame me for his cheating for me to finally snap out of it,” he paused. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to just unload all that baggage on you, I’m sure you’re freaked out.”

“Stop apologizing,” Sebastian told him in an even tone. “Sounds like all you ever do is apologize when you don’t owe Blaine or anyone else a fucking thing. You got yourself so worried that you’re not good enough or whatever, and you’re working yourself to the bone, even I can see it. When you come into rehearsals on the brink of exhaustion, you do as much as you can for those ungrateful bitches you call friends while still trying to take care of yourself.”

Kurt was taken back by that. “You’ve noticed all of that?” he asked softly. 

Sebastian shrugged. “You wear your emotions on your sleeve, it’s pretty hard to ignore.”

Then why did his friends? Why did Blaine when they were together? He had Finn, who definitely tried his best, but it was never quite the same due to the distance, so Kurt couldn’t fault him for that. Was Sebastian more observant than he let on, or did the people in his life just not care? “I guess I just never thought it was that bad. It’s just how things have always been,” Kurt shrugged.

When Sebastian put his arm around him, Kurt didn’t even react. The contact was welcome and almost familiar at this point, he didn’t even think twice about moving closer to him. “While we’re being honest, figure I may as well tell you something,” he told him. “I was never really that into Blaine.”

“But you went after him pretty openly,” he arched his brow.

“Thought he was single – he never mentioned you – and he was hot, seemed pretty easy,” Sebastian recalled. “And then you came into the picture and as much of an asshole as I am, I never wanted to be a homewrecker. But I liked our back and fourths, it was refreshing to find someone that could keep up with me. I mean yeah, it was pretty shitty to put that strain on your relationship, but maybe it was for the best, huh?” There was a hint of guilt in Sebastian’s voice, as much as he seemed to try and play it off.

“Thank you for telling me, Sebastian,” Kurt smiled weakly, turning to face him. “And you’re right, maybe it was for the best.

The two seemed to relax, their eyes meeting and a sense of warmth building between them. Sebastian’s arm moved around Kurt’s waist, his opposite hand gently caressing his cheek, as if he was inviting him closer. And Kurt had never felt closer to Sebastian than he did in that moment, feeling an overwhelming sensation of affection mixed with other emotions that he couldn’t quite name, but something inside told him that he didn’t need any words.

Kurt was rarely the one to initiate kisses, but he was the one to close the distance between them, his hands gently resting on Sebastian’s shoulders. He hadn’t even considered that the other male might pull away, but luckily he didn’t, instead lightly pulling him closer.

The kiss lasted for several seconds, but it could have been hours. Time didn’t seem to matter around them. When they broke apart, it was only for a split second before their lips reconnected in a new burst of passion. Sebastian pulled Kurt on to his lap, and Kurt straddled him, allowing himself to lock his legs around his waist when he was carried into the bedroom, their lips never parting. 

There was no thinking, no questioning, no worrying about repercussions. They were acting on unfiltered desire, which seemed to be just what they needed. The door to Sebastian’s bedroom shut and he lay Kurt down on his bed. He kissed at his neck as he unbuttoned his shirt, haphazardly getting it off and away. “Not in layers for once,” he remarked.

Kurt let out a soft, breathless chuckle. “Shut up,” he murmured, pulling Sebastian’s shirt off before kissing him again, pulling his body against his own, arching up to grind and writhe against him. He smirked to himself when he felt Sebastian’s jeans tighten, moving his hands to maneuver them open and off.  
Sebastian was undoubtedly caught off guard by Kurt’s confidence in bed. He had always had him pegged for someone shy and reserved, making him do all the work, but seeing as he was already hard, he realized Kurt knew exactly what to do. Getting Kurt’s ever-so-tight jeans off took a bit of effort, and wiggling on Kurt’s end, but the struggle did not kill the mood. 

“I assume you come prepared,” he remarked offhandedly, assuming the other male would have condoms and lube on hand. 

“Naturally,” he grabbed both items from his drawer. “Take it you want missionary?” 

Kurt rolled his eyes, deciding to make a point of proving him wrong by pushing his underwear off and getting up on his hands and knees, looking at Sebastian over his shoulder expectantly.

“You never fail to surprise me, Hummel,” Sebastian slapped his ass lightly as he moved behind him, slicking up two fingers, carefully working in one before the other.  
“F-Fuck…” Kurt exhaled with a moan. It had been far too long since he had been in bed with anyone, and to break his dry spell with someone with Sebastian’s experience made it all the better. “God, you’re good at that,” he murmured, and he could feel him smirking behind him. 

“Love how tight you are,” Sebastian purred. “Gonna fill you up so well,” he used his teeth and free hand to open the condom, and with a clearly practiced skill, put it on with the one hand, so he could keep prepping Kurt until he was ready. 

Kurt’s body yielded to Sebastian’s movements. His back curved as he pushed towards his hand, letting out a stream of whimpers and whines. “Please, fuck, I need you so badly. Need you to fuck me,” he murmured.

Sebastian chuckled softly. “Well, since you’re so desperate for it,” he eased his fingers out and got a firm grip on Kurt’s hips as he slowly pushed in, basking in the sounds of Kurt’s eager moans. 

Before Sebastian, Blaine had been Kurt’s only sexual partner, and the difference between their skills were almost blindingly apparent. Not only was Sebastian at least a couple inches bigger, he knew exactly how to work his body. As he was thrusting, he did not leave the rest of him unattended. He would lean down to kiss and bite at his shoulders, tweak and tease his nipples, then go back to gripping his hips hard enough to bruise, but that only aroused Kurt all the more.  
“Holy shit, keep going, just like that,” Kurt panted, moaning shamelessly loud. His hands fisted into the comforter beneath him as he rocked in tandem with the snaps of Sebastian’s hips, the sound of their skin hitting against each other being the only thing to rival Kurt’s moans. 

“Yeah, you take my cock like a champ, such a good boy,” Sebastian praised, shifting the angle of his movements until he was pounding against Kurt’s prostate, watching in pleasure as a new wave of arousal washed over the other male. “Gonna make you come so hard for me,” he grunted, moving one hand to stroke Kurt’s cock in tandem with the rocking of his hips.

Almost predictably, Kurt felt his body start to clench and his movements start to become more erratic. He cried out in pleasure as he came, feeling Sebastian hit his own peak in near unison. 

When they slowly came down from the rush of their orgasms, Sebastian eased out of Kurt, tossing the condom into the garbage. He took the baby wipes he’d also pulled from his drawer and got them both cleaned up, taking extra care to make sure Kurt was clean and comfortable.

Very few words were exchanged as they got under the covers. Kurt cuddled up to Sebastian, who wrapped his arm around him. They knew they would have to have yet another conversation, and neither of them would have any idea how that would go. But that could wait until tomorrow, for once, everything had felt right.


	6. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut in this chapter, but definite Rachel and Blaine unfriendliness

The room was silent, the only noise coming from the busy New York City streets outside. Both Kurt and Sebastian lay still, waiting for the other to be the first to break the tension.

“This is usually the part where I call an uber for you and kick you out without making eye contact,” Sebastian was the one to finally end the quiet. “But uh, you can stay for dinner, if you want.”

Kurt was laying on his side, facing away from him. He smiled weakly, tiredly, and nodded. “Sure, I’d like that,” he rolled back on to his back, glancing over at him.

“You don’t have to tell Rachel or Santana or anyone else, I play the ‘dirty little secret’ role pretty well,” he told him with a dry laugh, his hands folded loosely over his stomach.

Frowning, Kurt sat up and shook his head. “Hey, don’t sell yourself short. I’m not ashamed of you or anything.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes and smiled. “I rocked your world, you better not be ashamed,” he retorted. “I just know you’ve got an image to maintain, and far be it for me to tarnish it with a hook up.”

“Hey, we’re both consenting adults. I’m not going to live my life on the basis of what my friends might think of me. I appreciate your consideration, though,” he told him, now on his other side to face him. “And it was nice to get laid by someone that actually knows how to top,” he smirked.

“As petty as it is, I’m kind of living for you shading your ex,” he chuckled.

Kurt nudged him playfully. “After all he put me through, I have earned the right to throw all the shade my bitter heart desires.”

Sebastian grinned, his arm wrapped around Kurt’s waist, and placed a lazy kiss to his neck. “I could get used to your bitterness being directed at someone other than me.”

“I think you just like having your ego stroked,” he retorted.

A smirk spread across Sebastian’s lips as he took one of Kurt’s hands and moved it below the blanket. “That’s not the only thing.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, but grinned nonetheless. “I guess I have one more round in me.”

————————————————————————————————--

“Okay, Hummel. What is up with you?” Santana leaned over the couch that Kurt was sitting on.

Kurt looked up from the TV, a wide grin resting on his lips. “What d’you mean? Can’t a man just enjoy an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race?”

She rolled her eyes and hoisted herself over the couch so she was sat beside him. “Look, I enjoy a good lip sync as much as the next gay, but you’ve been fucking glowing for the past week. Did you get a new pair of shoes or something?”

He scoffed with a faux-dramatic effect. “As if I wouldn’t tell you if I made a new fashion investment,” he shook his head. “I’m just excited for the show. Hell week is just around the corner.”

Santana wasn’t buying it, and it was clear from her expression. “Sure babe. I’m just saying, the last time I was that giddy I—“ she stopped herself mid-thought and hit his shoulder. “Oh my god!”

Kurt looked startled at the sudden change in demeanor. “What?”

“You’re getting laid!”

A deep blush spread across Kurt’s face and down his neck. “Y-You’ve got your head in the gutter, Santana. I don’t know why you insist on jumping to such conclusions. In fact, it’s a bit offensive that you would just—“

“Is it Sebastian?”

Kurt sighed and flopped against the couch. “Am I really that transparent?”

“To be fair, you may actually be the least subtle person I have ever met,” Santana shrugged. “I knew you wouldn’t last until the show ended, I was trying to get Rachel to wager with me…”

He shot back up at that. “Don’t tell her. I can live with you ragging on me about it, but she’ll actually get mad at me for it,” he explained. “Just, don’t let it slip to Rachel.”

“Don’t let what slip to Rachel?” Kurt groaned because, as if on cue, Rachel walked in just as he was pleading for Santana’s silence.

“That Kurt and Sebastian have been fucking,” Santana didn’t even react to Kurt’s horrified expression. “What? One of us was bound to say something eventually, may as well rip the bandage off.”

Kurt didn’t even have a chance to respond before Rachel was going in on him. “I can’t believe you, Kurt! That is so unprofessional!”

“Are you really about to come for me about professionalism? Do I need to bring up our junior year Nationals performance?”

Rachel glared at Kurt. “That was different. Finn and I ended up together. Do you think you’re going to end up with Sebastian?”

“So it’s okay for you to blow Nationals because you’re dating Finn, but it’s not okay for me to hook up with the guy that’s playing my love interest anyway? Why does a love story make it more valid when it had worse consequences? Yes, I’m sleeping with my costar, and so what? It’s fun, and it’s just sex.”

“God, you even sound like him. You’re going to regret this, and don’t come crying to me when you do!” Rachel said and left in a huff.

Santana, who had been silently watching, watched her leave, mouth agape. “What the fuck was that?”

“One part defensiveness over her relationship with Finn, two parts hoping Blaine and I will reconcile and run off into the sunset together,” Kurt sounded exasperated, but not terribly surprised. “You know what? I’m gonna go skype Finn and tell him before she beats me to it,” he decided and got up.

“Yo, you want me to pause your show?”

————————————————————————————————--

“I assume you’re all wondering why I called you all here this evening,” Kurt said as he slowly paced in front of the group of people.

“I can’t see you,” a voice from Kurt’s laptop called out, causing him to apologize and turn the screen, allowing Finn to see him, Rachel, Santana, and Sebastian. “Thanks!” he gave a thumbs up to Kurt.

“On to why you have us set up like the beginning of a murder mystery dinner?” Santana asked, looking like she would rather be anywhere in the world than in that living room.

Kurt cleared his throat. “You’re all here because I woke up this morning to not one, not two, but twenty-seven calls and texts from Blaine. That means one of you let what’s been going on get back to him.”

“So why am I here?” Sebastian asked with an annoyed groan.

“Because you have a motive to be here too. Maybe you just couldn’t resist the opportunity to gloat,” Kurt turned to Santana. “Or maybe you couldn’t resist the opportunity to gossip,” and then to Rachel, “or to try to push Blaine and I back together,” and finally to the laptop where Finn was. “Or maybe you just forgot it wasn’t information to be shared,” he took a deep breath as his eyes scanned the room of potential suspects, who all looked either annoyed or uncomfortable.

“Now, who wants to own up to it?”


	7. Mystery Solved

“Okay, I did it!” all eyes in the room directed their gaze to the culprit. 

“Oh, that was easy,” Kurt murmured, vaguely disappointed – he had a whole interrogation plan set up. “Alright, everyone except Rachel can leave,” he announced, taking a deep breath to maintain his composure.

Without a second to spare, Finn hung up and Santana left the room – though he wouldn’t be surprised if she continued to listen from the other side of the curtain – and Sebastian headed out, giving Kurt a sympathetic expression as he walked past, the door closing behind him. 

There was a beat of silence as tension almost instantly enveloped the room. Kurt was staring Rachel down, and she was holding her head high in defiance.  
“What the _fuck_ , Rachel?” the pin was dropped, and the floodgates had opened.

“He has the right to know!”

“It has nothing to do with him!” 

“You’re sleeping with the guy that put him in the hospital!”

Kurt pinched the bridge of his nose and furrowed his brows. “Okay, I’m going to say this one time, so listen clearly; Blaine and I are broken up. I am not in a relationship with him, and I have no plans of changing that. He does not influence my decision making and he has no right to know about my sex life. It sure as hell isn’t your place to interfere with that, or any of my relationships, and if I can’t trust you to try to play matchmaker, or whatever the fuck you think you’re doing, then I can’t keep you in my life.”  
Rachel scoffed. “It sounds like you’re choosing Sebastian over me.”

“No, I’m choosing to grow up and move on with my life. You’re welcome to join me whenever you’re ready,” he said flatly, leaving the room and Rachel to stew in the aftermath.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Kurt looked up when the door to his room opened, a small smile on his lips. “Thank you for coming by, Mercedes. You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”  
“You know I got you, so what happened? Heard you had a blow out with Rachel,” she replied, sitting beside him on the bed.

“She told Blaine that I’ve been hooking up with Sebastian – because it’s somehow his right to know – and got mad at me for calling her out on her shit. It’s like, she can’t handle things not going her way, and if I don’t step aside and bend to her will, she takes it as a personal offense.”

Mercedes didn’t look terribly surprised, but she definitely understood why Kurt was frustrated. “She’s always been like that, huh?”

“And I’ve just dealt with it because…I don’t know, I didn’t have the confidence to not let her walk all over me,” Kurt shrugged. “Or anyone, I guess. God, it’s so easy to become self-aware when Lima isn’t beating the individuality out of you.”

“Kurt, you are one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. I can’t tell you whether or not you should stay friends with Rachel, I know it’s not that simple, but I am so proud of you for recognizing how you deserve to be treated.”

Kurt smiled warmly and hugged her. “Aww, you always know the right thing to say,” he paused. “Do you think I should cut things off with Sebastian, though?”  
Mercedes shook her head. “It’s pretty clear you don’t want to, so don’t close up shop for her sake,” she kissed his head. “I’m gonna head out, see you later baby boy,” she hummed and grabbed her jacket as she left. But no more than a couple minutes after the door closed, it opened again. 

“Miss me already?” Kurt asked without looking up.

“You could say that. But I’d deny it,” a male voice answered.

A broad smile spread across his lips as his gaze shifted to the doorway. “Hey you,” he cocked his head to motion him inside. 

Sebastian sat down on Kurt’s bed, propping his back up against his pillows. “I was still in the neighborhood, figured I’d swing by to, you know, make sure you survived.”

Kurt nodded, moving to rest his head against the crook of his neck. “I’m alright, though I might have permanently damaged one of the longest friendships I’ve ever had.”  
“Do you know what your problem is?”

He arched his brow and looked up at him. “My problem?”

“You’re loyal to a fault. You put up with way more of Blaine’s shit than a normal person would have – which I know in uncomfortable detail thanks to the Warblers’ ever present need for Anderson gossip – you immediate forgive Rachel every time she treats you like her pet or punching bag, and has she ever really apologized to you? Has Blaine? I own up to my being a douchebag, I know I treated you like shit, but you never let me get away with it the way that you did them. And it’s because you had nothing to lose by telling me to fuck off, but you were so afraid of losing a boyfriend or a friend, even if they never deserved you in the first place.”

Kurt was silent for a few moments, he knew Sebastian was right, so right that it shook him to the core. “Why do you care how I’m treated anyway?” he asked, just to get something out. 

“Because you’re one of the few genuinely good people I’ve met in my life, if there’s anyone that deserves to be treated as such, it’s you.”

“I have to admit, the onslaught of positivity I’m getting is a little jarring,” Kurt laughed, unwilling to address the underlying depth to what Sebastian was saying, and judging by the look on his face, he was relieved to be let off the hook.

Then Sebastian’s expression changed to a smirk that was not unfamiliar to his face. “How about I make it worse and offer to take you out to dinner?”

Kurt’s brows rose in surprise, and he nudged him in a light, but pleased manner. “Are you asking me out on a date?” he asked, giving him a chance to backtrack if he changed his mind.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing.”


	8. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minor smut warning

“This is a mistake,” Rachel said in a sing-song tone, leaning against the doorframe into Kurt’s room. She watched with her arms crossed as he held up different shirts against his torso. 

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Kurt answered, mocking the singing tone with his own. He decided on a blue button-down shirt with a pattern of small, white birds. He smoothed out the fabric and rolled up the sleeves to his elbows. 

Santana, having been hovering near the two, let herself into Kurt’s bedroom. “Don’t you have a cauldron to stir? Let Hummel prepare for his date in peace. He ain’t gonna look bangable with you around,” Rachel scoffed at that, but left in a huff. 

Kurt hadn’t expected to find such an ally in Santana, but she had really come through for him as his relationship with Rachel became rockier, and he took it as a pleasant surprise. “So what do you think then? Do I look bangable?” he asked with a laugh.

“Your wardrobe hasn’t stopped him before,” she retorted, but started to fuss with his hair and clothes. “Can I be real with you for a sec?” she asked once she had deemed him ready.

“Have you ever not been?” 

Santana shrugged and nodded at that before continuing. “I never liked Blaine. Longest time I thought he just annoyed me – but everyone annoys me,” she frowned. “Started to realize he wasn’t treating you right, but I didn’t say anything ‘cause shit, neither was I,” she turned to face away from Kurt, fixing her own hair in his mirror, but still seeing him in the reflection. “And holy fuck did it piss me off when Rachel went behind your back like that. My family did that shit to me, try to sabotage my relationship with Britts, with girls in general, so I’d have no choice but to go back to men,” she swallowed thickly, the memory striking a raw nerve. 

Kurt cautiously walked over to Santana and placed a hand on her shoulder, wanting to express comfort without overstepping any boundaries. “I’m so sorry your family betrayed your trust like that, and thank you for having my back.”

When she turned to face him again, her expression softened to a kind smile, a sharp contrast to her frequent hardened expressions. “Hey, we’re family too, y’know?” there was a moment of silent affection before she added “Now get your ass out of here, you know the preppy types hate lateness.”  
  


=====

“Wow, a red napkin restaurant, how fancy,” Kurt remarked with a grin, taking the cloth and draping it over his lap. 

“I like to make a good impression,” Sebastian replied with a wink, the response eliciting a laugh from the other male. 

“Since _when_?”

He rolled his eyes affectionately at that. “Shut up and let me bask in my clout,” he huffed.

Kurt chuckled softly. “Hey now, we’re in public,” he laughed again at his own innuendo. His gazed shifted from his date to the menu, but his smile stayed etched on his face the whole time.

Sebastian wasn’t looking at the menu, though. His eyes followed every movement of Kurt’s body and expression on his face with such fondness, that he was genuinely startled by it when he realized it. He had seen him dozens of times before, they’d had a number of dinners together, too. Why was tonight any different just because they were on a date? Why did it seem like Kurt had a radiant glow about him that accentuated the freckles on his face and the crinkles in the creases of his eyes when he smiled?

Blinking rapidly, Sebastian snapped himself back into reality when a waitress approached the table. After they had placed their orders, she had made a comment about them being a ‘lovely couple’ before exiting. 

Kurt’s ears turned red at the comment, but he played it off by saying “We’re going to kill the show if we’ve got strangers thinking we’re together.”

“What was it Professor Kelly said when rehearsals started? That we have natural chemistry? Guess you should be flattered that people think you landed a guy like me,” Sebastian smirked. 

“Well, I’m not going to complain about landing a guy that buys me fancy French dinners,” Kurt retorted. “I’m a high maintenance bitch, you know.”

Sebastian pretended to look shocked, mouth agape. “You? High maintenance? Next you’ll be telling me you’re gay!”

Kurt shushed him in a playfully dramatic manner. “You can’t let that get out!” they were leaning forward and laughing, to the point where they almost didn’t notice their meals arriving until the smell hit their noses. 

When they ate, their personalities seemed to switch. Sebastian was controlled and refined, taking small bites and dabbing his mouth with the napkin often. Kurt, on the other hand, ate like someone with an appetite, taking larger forkfuls and letting out noises of satisfaction as he did, going multiple bites without fully coming up for air. It was a reflection of their upbringings, but also how they just seemed to be comfortable behaving like their usual selves. 

After the waitress cleared their plates, Sebastian shifted his attention back to Kurt. “You want to stick around for coffee and dessert?” 

“No,” Kurt answered, to Sebastian’s disappointment, only to follow it up with “I’d rather have it at your place,” and Sebastian was calling for the check before Kurt could get another breath in edgewise.  
  


=====

“I’m actually really glad we got a date in now, we’re not going to have any time during hell week,” Kurt remarked, sitting cross legged on Sebastian’s couch as he sipped from the mug. 

Sebastian set his mug down on the coffee table and sat next to Kurt, draping an arm around him and letting him curl into his side. “We’re still gonna squeeze in dressing room quickies, right?” 

Kurt scoffed and lightly hit his side. “Um, hello, obviously,” he giggled.

The two did eventually move to Sebastian’s bedroom, and it didn’t take long before they had shed their clothes, Kurt straddling his lap as he rode him, Sebastian’s hands gripping his hips firmly. The room was filled only with the sound of moans and skin slapping against each other. Sebastian’s gaze bore into Kurt as he matched his movements with his own thrusts, soaking up the way his pliant body moved. 

They laid back down once they had finished, their breathing heavy and bodies glistening with sweat. Satisfied smiles rested on their lips, and an air of content surrounded them. “I can’t remember the last time I had a date like that,” Kurt remarked once he had caught his breath, draping his arm over Sebastian’s chest and nestling his head against his shoulder. 

“Happy I could fill that void in your life,” Sebastian chuckled, pressing a kiss to Kurt’s forehead. “Do you wanna stay the night?” he offered, deciding that he wasn’t ready to let go of the other male just yet. 

“Sure,” Kurt smiled. “I’d love to,” he let out a small yawn and cuddled back up to him, finding it harder to keep his eyes open. “Hey, Sebastian?” he looked up at him sleepily.

“Yeah?” he met his gaze, despite feeling a bit tired as well. 

“Thank you. You really did show me what it felt like to be treated right.”


	9. Opening Night

Hell week had certainly lived up to its name. For the past seven days, it felt like nothing existed outside of rehearsal. Kurt, Sebastian, and the cast were eating, sleeping, and breathing Bare.

However, Kurt found that it wasn’t all bad. Since Sebastian lived closer to the campus, he found that he would simply go back to his place every night and stay over, which proved to be the superior alternative to going back to Santana and Rachel. 

“I can’t believe tonight’s the big night,” Kurt remarked, wrapping his arms around Sebastian from behind. The taller male, taking advantage of having the morning off, was standing over the stove, cooking breakfast for the two of them. 

“Nervous, babe?” Sebastian teased as he flipped the bacon in the pan, chuckling when the other scoffed in response. 

“Psh, I don’t do nerves,” he retorted, then quietly added “I’m actually really terrified.”

Setting the completed meal on the counter, he turned and wrapped his arms around his waist. “You know damn well you have no reason to be nervous,” he told him, kissing along his jaw.

Kurt smiled, draping his arms over Sebastian’s shoulders and locking his hands at the back of his neck. “I know, I know, we’re the best leading men this school has ever seen, and everyone will be left quaking in their seats,” he chuckled. 

Sebastian grinned and pecked his lips. “That’s the spirit. Now come on, let’s eat,” he set the two plates at the breakfast bar and all but devoured their food. It wasn’t until they were cleaning up that there was a knock at the door. 

“See who’s there, I’m indecent,” Kurt said with a dramatic flourish as he left to dress his underwear-clad form. 

Letting out a light laugh, Sebastian nodded and opened the door, looking up with a surprised expression. “Hudson? The hell are you doing out here?” 

“What, no mean nickname? Wow Sebastian, you’ve gone soft,” Finn smirked.

“Your brother would beg to differ,” he retorted.

“…I walked into that. Santana said he was here, can I-”

“Finn!” Kurt had emerged from the other room, face lighting up when he saw his step-brother, running full speed and hugging him tightly. “When did you get in?”

“Last night, but you were at rehearsal so I just crashed on the couch at your place,” he explained as he was ushered inside. “Come on, you know I wouldn’t miss your opening night for anything.”

Kurt was admittedly impressed that the girls had managed to keep this as a surprised, but was quick to focus his attention on how happy he was to see Finn. It didn’t take long for them to fall right into excitedly catching up on their lives. 

“So are you still dating Rachel after all the shit she pulled with Kurt?” Sebastian couldn’t help but chime in. 

Finn tensed at the question, but shook his head. “We haven’t been…officially together for a while, but that, I couldn’t see past that,” he explained.

The tone seemed to shift after that, becoming more tense and uneasy. Then, Finn blurted out “I saw Blaine at the airport, I think he’s gonna try to come to your show.” 

Kurt groaned, burying his head in his hands. “Fucking—I’m going to call Rachel, see if she has anything to do with this,” he muttered, exiting to another room, leaving Finn and Sebastian to their own devices. 

“Listen,” Finn turned to Sebastian. “I don’t know what your MO is for Kurt but you better not—”

“Save it,” Sebastian said flatly. “I don’t need to hear the whole big scary brother act. I know all about Kurt’s tragic past and how he doesn’t need another guy fucking him over.”

“Damn, I had a whole speech planned out and everything,” he mumbled. “Just…look, he’s really overdue for someone that treats him right.”

“I’ve noticed, believe me,” Sebastian retorted, looking up when Kurt rejoined them. “What’s the verdict?”

“Rachel swears up and down that she had nothing to do with this. Honestly, I believe her. If this was her doing, she’d brag about it,” Kurt rolled his eyes. 

“Listen, if he does show up, we’ll make sure you don’t have to be alone with him. I promise,” Finn assured, wrapping an arm around the smaller male. “We got you covered.”

Kurt smiled softly, resting his head on Finn’s shoulder. “I know you do,” he exhaled deeply. “And I’m not going to let this distract me. The show’s gotta go all over the place, right?” he nudged Finn lightly.

=====

“T-minus one hour!” the director shouted to the cast, all of which off doing their own preparations. 

Kurt was sitting in front of the vanity, the hair stylist having just finished, when he saw a familiar face in the reflection of the mirror. “Oh no,” he murmured to himself. 

“Not even a little happy to see me?” Blaine asked, resting his hands on the back of Kurt’s chair, causing him to instantly stand up. 

“He waited until I went to the bathroom, I tried to stop him,” Finn panted as he ran into the room moments later. 

Blaine ignored Finn’s interjection, fixating his gaze on Kurt. “I just wanted to see you,” he told him.

“Well, you’ve seen me, great catching up. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Kurt brushed him off as quickly as he could. 

“We need to talk, Kurt. You owe me that much.”

‘Seeing red’ always seemed like a figure of speech, but when Blaine said that, Kurt just snapped. “I don’t owe you a goddamn thing. _You_ manipulated and gas-lighted me, _you_ made me feel horrible if it meant boosting your own ego, _you_ abused me, and lest we forget – _you_ fucking cheated on me! I don’t owe you a phone call, a text message, I sure as fuck don’t owe you updates on who I’m dating. When I said we’re done, I. Meant. It.”

Before Blaine could respond, Finn intervened. “You should go, dude,” he said, ushering him out of the room while a few of Kurt’s costars rushed over to see what happened to him.

Moments after Finn had gotten Blaine out of the room, things only escalated. Sebastian was walking back towards the room, only to have the jilted ex-lover lunge at him, an attempted attack if not for Finn’s intervening. 

“You!” Blaine hissed. “This is all your fault. You got inside his head and fucked him all up!”

Sebastian seemed completely nonplussed by the outburst, folding his arms over his chest. “If there’s anyone that fucked him up, it’s the guy that left him unable to take a compliment, and that sure as shit wasn’t me.” 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about! Kurt was miserable before he met me. I saved him,” Blaine retorted.

“And how did forcing your sloppy drunk ass on him in your car play into your whole savior plan?”

Blaine ran his hand through his hair, or at least as much as he could with all the product locking it in place. “Well that wouldn’t have happened if _you_ weren’t trying to tempt me.”

“It takes two to tango, Blaine. And I don’t recall suggesting you try molesting your boyfriend,” truth be told, Sebastian did take blame in what happened to Kurt that night, but he wasn’t about to let Blaine use his guilt against him. 

“Why are you harping on this? I know I’ve made some mistakes in my relationship with Kurt, but who the hell are you to say anything? Why can’t you just back off and let us sort this out?”

“Because I’m in love with him!” 

Silence took over the hallway after Sebastian’s outburst, everything seeming to freeze except for the distant sound of a clock ticking. It seemed damn near an eternity before Sebastian started to speak again.

“You had plenty of chances to make things right with Kurt. If you really loved him you wouldn’t have waited until now to own up to your bullshit. You don’t own him, you never did.”

Blaine left after that, muttering something about a ‘waste of a plane ticket’ and trying to act as though he wasn’t departing with his tail between his legs.

Finn, who’d been stunned into silence after his attempt at mediating, was looking at him in awe. “Woah, Sebastian, that—”

“Don’t say anything,” he cut him off, pacing about as he tried to calm himself down, feeling more adrenaline than he needed to this close to the show. 

Finn put his hands up in surrender and stepped back inside, leaving Sebastian facing away from the entrance, still haphazardly trying to calm down.

When he heard footsteps approach him again, Sebastian whirled around. “Hudson, if you don’t fuck off I swear to god I’ll – oh,” he blinked, seeing Kurt stare back at him. “You...heard the whole thing, didn’t you?”

Kurt nodded.

“You saw Blaine leave?”

Kurt nodded again.

“Goddamnit, Kurt, fucking say something, please,” he pleaded, holding his breath until he answered.

“I love you too.”


	10. Chapter 10

“Do you think it’s weird to watch yourself perform?” Finn asked, setting snacks on the table before sitting in the recliner. 

Kurt shrugged. “Makes me a little self-conscious, but I’ve been dying to see this,” he replied, moving his gaze from his brother to the TV.

“If you start shit-talking yourself,” Sebastian reached his arm around Kurt to grab a handful of popcorn, “I’m going to start throwing this at you.”

“Tough love, I’m here for it,” Santana raised her wine glass before taking a swig and pressing play. 

A silence fell over the group as the recording began, though it didn’t take long before Kurt and Sebastian began chiming in with tidbits and behind-the-scenes gossip about the cast. Since they had all been there in person, it was easy for them to be distracted by each new side conversation.

“That’s actually the understudy. We’re not entirely sure what happened to the original Nadia, but we think she joined a cult,” Kurt pointed out.

“She definitely joined a cult.”

By the time the curtain calls had finished, everyone had returned to watching with nostalgic smiles – that may have been exacerbated by a few glasses of wine. 

“Oh boys, that was _beautiful_ ,” Rachel cooed, swaying a bit, then a bit more, leading Santana to snatch the half-full wine glass from her hand seconds before Rachel fell sideways on the couch, head on her lap. 

Sebastian chuckled, arms around Kurt – who was not in much better condition. “Much appreciated, princess lightweight.”

“Do you want me to put her to bed, San?” Finn offered, starting to get up.

Santana shook her head. “Nah, I got it,” and with surprising lack of effort, scooped the smaller girl up bridal style and carried her into the bedroom. Finn was left with a perplexed expression that only went away with a long yawn and heavy-lidded eyes. 

“Baby, let’s go to bed,” Kurt nudged Sebastian until he picked him up in the same manner. “Let Finn have the couch.”

* * *

Late the next morning, the five of them were gathered around the table, a brunchtime feast of bagels, toppings, and sides spread across it. 

“So, are you guys going to audition for the winter musical next semester?” Finn asked before swallowing his mouthful of food. 

Kurt tilted his head in thought, then shrugged. “I don’t know, they always say to leave them wanting more.” 

“Plus I still need _my_ time to shine.”

“I’m pretty sure Professor Kelly still has a restraining order out against you, Rach.”

Rachel let out an indignant huff. “You can’t restrain talent, Kurt,” but he and the others laughed, knowing she wasn’t being serious in her scorn. 

“Y’all can’t just enjoy summer break like normal people, huh?” Santana asked, to a prompt chorus of ‘no’.

“You’re under the false assumption that any of them are normal,” Sebastian chimed in. 

“You’re under the false assumption that you’re not included in this,” Kurt retorted. 

Finn cleared his throat, interrupting the play-fighting couple. “Not to be a downer or anything, but uh, has Blaine tried to contact either of you after what went down?”

Kurt pressed his lips together and picked at his plate for a moment. “If he has, I wouldn’t know. I cut him out cold turkey, blocked him from any form of contact I could think of. It was…weird, and I don’t know if I’d have been able to do it alone,” he smiled momentarily at Sebastian, “but I think we can all close that chapter.” 

“We’ve all grown a lot from it, learned a lot about ourselves, that’s for sure,” Sebastian nodded. He had found himself wondering from time to time, how long it would have taken for him to admit the extent of his feelings for his boyfriend had he not acted on impulse. It was naïve to call it a blessing in disguise, but he liked to believe they came out of it with better results than they could have anticipated. 

“Who would have thought you two – of all people - would be the ones to end up with a love story for the ages?” Santana asked with a light laugh.

“Literally no one,” Kurt chuckled. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


End file.
